Apparatus for cleaning elongated porous tubes



April 27, 1954 P. A. MAYNARD 2,676,353

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ELONGATED POROUS TUBES Filed June 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,1 m w /,r

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awe/whom Philip A. MOLHCIPd April 27, 1954 P. A. MAYNARD 2,676,353

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ELONGATED POROUS TUBES Filed June 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Philip AyMaqnar'cl Kama Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED S TES ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ELONGATED POROUS TUBES Philip A. Maynard, St. Paul, Minn. Application J une 10, 1948, Serial N 0. 32,206

'5 Claims. 1' My invention relates to apparatus for cleaning elongated porous tubes and deals more particularly with the cleaning of elongated tubes of cloth or other material.

In the manufacture of various items, it is necessary to separate solid materials from air. For example in the manufacture of powdered milk, the milk is often sprayed into a separating room in the form of a fine liquid which solidifies into a fine powder. Because of the lightness of this powder it is necessary "to separate the powder from the air. Thisis often done by drawing the air through porous tubes of canvas or the like having pores therein which are too small to allow the passage of the powder. This operation produces a film of powder on the inner walls of the tube which is difiicult to remove, but which must be removed if the efiiciency of the drying apparatus isto'be unimpaired. Attempts have been made to clean these tubes by the use of a long handled brush'or the like which is extended into the tube through its open end. However, if the milk powder is not entirelydry such a brush smears the powder upon the surface of the cloth tube, or so-called sock filling the pores thereof and making the tube useless for its intended purpose, unless it is cleaned by washing or other means.

The object of the present invention lies in the apparatus for cleaning these tubes by vacuum. I have found that if a long handled tool of proper construction is inserted within the bag and air is drawn through the cloth tube or sO-called sock in a reverse direction the powder will become disengaged from the walls of the tube or sock-and the tubes or socks may be effectively cleaned.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an apparatus for cleaning porous tubes used for separating air from solid particles and which operates to reverse the flow of air through the tubing so as to disengage the particles clinging to the walls of the tube. As a result the porous tubes or eifectively in a. fraction of the time previously required to clean the tubes or socks much less thoroughly.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a tool which holds the tube expanded while the air is drawn through the same to disengage particles clinging to the inner surface thereof. 7 7

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.-

socks may be cleaned.

rating room in which terial are separated from air porous tube cleaning apparatus in conjunction ber l0. Means are 2 In the-drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a sepathe solid particles of maand showing my therewith.

"Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the cleaning tool.

Figure 3 is an end elevation view of the tool illustrated in Figure 2.

The'separating room is indicated in general by thenumeral ID. This room is'provided with a closed ceiling side walls l2, and a flooring |'3. Suitable doors, not illustrated in the drawings, are provided through which access may be obtained to the interior. 'The powdered milk enters through a suitable jet I4 and is sprayed into the air, some of the milk settling upon the floor l3. Suitable means, not illustrated in the drawings, are provided for forcing the powdered milk toward one or more elongated troughs such as l5; This powder moving means may comprise automatic scraper blades which travel over the floor l3, or the powder may be handled by scoops or other implements of that type. Conveyors l6 are provided in the troughs |5 for powdered material from the separating room.

'A separate chamber 7 is provided in one portion'of the separating room which is enclosed nicationawith the chamber Illand the interior of the tubes communicates with the interior of the chamber 1, only through the pores of the tubes. Spring hangers24 or other suitable suspendingmeans are attached to the upper ends of the tubes 2| to. hold them in parallel upright condition.

A rblower 25 is provided for withdrawing air from the chamber I1. This blower 25 thus tends to'draw air through the tubes 2| from the champrovided for holding the tubes or socks 2| expanded and circular in section and the movement of air through the porous body of the tubes acts to separate the solid powder par-- ticles from the air. The solid particles then tend conveying the to drop onto the floor i3 through the openings 23 communicating with the open lower ends of the tubes or socks 2|. However, after a period of use the powder is drawn against the inner surface of the tubes or socks and tends to clog the pores, thus greatly reducing the efficiency of the drying apparatus. 1

In order to avoid this difhculty I provide a vacuum machine 26 which, in the form illustrated, is located in a room below the level of the chamber IE), or on the same room level, although the particular location of the vacuum machine is unimportant. The machine 26 is connected by suitable piping 21 to a nipple 2Q extending through a side wall l2 of the chamber l and attached to a Y 36. This Y 3|] is provided with two inlets 3!, both of which are connected by flexible conduits 32 to the cleaning tool which is illustrated in general by the numeral 33.

The tool 33 includes an elongated pipe or tube 3 1 of suhicient length to extend the length of the tubes 2 i. It will be noted that the space beneath the floor 26 of the chamber H must be sufficient to enable the tool to be inserted through the various holes .23 and into the tubes 2 i.

The elongated tubing 3 is welded or otherwise connected to a sleeve 35 having an outwardly flared end This outwardly flaring end 35 acts as a support for a wire guard illustrated in general by the numeral 31. This wire guard is of an outer diameter which fits snugly within the tubes 2! to hold the portion of the tube adjacent the guard fully expanded during the cleaning operation.

As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the wire guard includes a central generally U-shaped wire element 33, a pair of similar wires id on opposite sides thereof which are kinked to provide a flat V formation when viewed from the end as in Figure 3 of the drawings, and a pair of guard wires A! which are also similarly shaped to the wire 39, but are kinked intermediate the ends to provide a relatively deep V when viewed from the end. The wires 4!] are kinked at 52 while the wires ll are kinked at 43. The wires come together at their center points as viewed in Figure 3 of the drawings, the apex or kink 42 in the wires 48 contacting opposite sides of the center point of the wire 39 and the apex or kinks in the wires ll contacting the kinks 42 of the wires iii. The wires are welded or otherwise secured in thi form and thus form a guard which includes a series of angularly spaced guard wires which are capable of holding the flexible tubes expanded during the cleaning operation.

As illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings the various wires are provided with a curved forward end M which is of somewhat smaller radius than the radius of the tubes into which the tool is to extend. The wires curve outwardly gradually to a point of end of the flared body portion 35. The free ends 46 of the wires then incline toward a common point to lie flat against the inner surface of the flared portion 353. A wire retaining ring 41 extends inwardly of the inwardly inclined end portions as, the ring being provided with grooves 49 for receiving these wire ends it. The extremities 50 of the guard wire ends 4d are bent over the edge of the retaining ring 4? to anchor the wires to the ring. The ring di end 36 by welding or other suitable means.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from an observation. of Figure 1 of the drawings. After the separating process has greatest diameter at 45 near the open is secured in the flared been in operation for a period of time the powdered material will cling to the inner surface of the porous tubes 2! and tend to clog the pores thereof. At this point the process is stopped and the floor i3 is cleared or vacuumed of powdered material. The flexible conduits 32 are next attached to the inlet ends 31 of the Y 30 and the vacuum machine 26 is placed into operation to draw air through the tools 33. Two separate tools are employed in order to cut down the time re quired for the tube or sock cleaning operation.

The workers next insert the tools 33' through each opening 23, moving the wire guarded end 31 of the tool throughout the length of the tube. Air is drawn through the tube or sock in a reverse direction from the chamber it, thus tending to dislodge the particles of powdered or solid material from the inner wall surfaces. The wire guard holds the tubes fully expanded and prevents the tube material from being drawn inwardly by the source of suction.

I have found that by following this procedure the tubes may be quickly and effectively cleaned in an extremely short period of time. This arrangement has been found decidedly preferable to brushing the powdered particles from the tubes with a long handled brush or other tool of this type. The tubes may be used for an extended period without requiring any other type of cleaning. My invention is preferred over brushing in any form because it is more sanitary. As the powdered milk is used for human consumption, the brushing of the tubes is likely to mix foreign particles such as broken bristles with the product rendering it unfit for sale. The vacuum tool above described is entirely sanitary and satisfactory.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my apparatus for cleaning porous materials, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for cleaning porous open ended separator tubes including an elongated hollow handle, an outwardly flaring end on said handle, a wire guard comprising a series of angularly spaced wire members, said wire members being connected together at the outer extremity of the guard and extending gradually outwardly and rearwardly to form a rounded forward end on the guard, the wires extending rearwardly toward the flared end of the handle to a point of greatest separation near the flared end of th handle, and then convergin inwardly, the converging portions of the wires being connected to the flared end of the handle.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the converging portions of the wires are connected to the inner" surface of the flaring end of the handle.

3. The structure described in claim 1 and including a retaining ring comprising the means for securing the converging ends of the wires to the flared portion of the handle.

4. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the converging ends of the wires extend inwardly of the flaring end of the handle and including a retaining ring lying inwardly of the converging ends of the wire;

5. The structure described in claim 1 and in whichthe converging ends of the wires extend inwardly orthe flared end of the handle and including a retaining ring inwardly of the wires, the converging ends of the wires being bent over the edge of the retaining ring to hold the wires in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 211,351 Smith Jan. 14, 1879 263,349 Opper et a1 Aug. 29, 1882 351,854 Delhaye Nov. 2, 1886 869,585 Mann Oct. 29, 1907 1,040,176 Eichele Oct. 1, 1912 1,182,028 Mattem May 9, 1916 Number Number 

